What is Odyssey?
Welcome to Odyssey, a Living History Education for Young Explorers! Our school is a Focus Option Program of Portland Public Schools. But Odyssey is different from any other school. In fact, we are the only one of our kind in the nation.
What is a Focus Option?
The Odyssey Program is one of several "Focus Option" programs in the Portland Public Schools system. "Focus Option" means that the school is structured around a unique curriculum or particular theme. Another way of saying this is that the core academic curriculum is taught through a particular "lens". Some focus options are structured around art; others around math or science. The Odyssey Program’s "lens" is History.
Why History?One of the founding premises of the Odyssey Program is that education is more effective when students know why they are learning something, and can make sense of things within a particular context. The study of History provides a natural and effective learning context. Exciting and hands-on, history themes provide a rich context for incorporating science, literature, math and the arts. Understanding History equips students to understand their world, and our increasingly complex, diverse and global community.
The Ten Essentials – The Heart of Our Program
Another distinguishing feature of The Odyssey Program is its "10 Essentials". At the core of our program are 10 Essential components that when combined, distinguish it from all others. Although an educational program could implement one or some of these components separately, we believe that only when combined do they compliment, enhance and reinforce each other, creating an optimum learning enviroment for every student. These 10 Essential characteristics are: we are a Team-Taught, Multi-Aged, Cooperative-Learning, Community School; our program curriculum is Individualized, Open-Ended, and Enriched; and our program curriculum is Integrated, Interactive, and Theme-based. To learn more about each of these components and see how they work together and contribute to our unique program, please visit the "Ten Essentials" page.
Our Mission
The Odyssey Program mission is:
History and Background of the Odyssey Program
The Odyssey Program was founded in 1994 at Chapman School in NW Portland, by educators Marion Grassley and Susan Anderson. The founders recognized a need for educational innovation with a focus on a unique integrated, thematic and experiential approach. What began as a 345 program, expanded to K-8 when it moved to Hayhurst School in SW Portland in 2004.
Odyssey Founders
We would like to introduce the founding teachers of the Odyssey Program - Susan Anderson and Marion Grassley; both have been recognized over the years for their creative work in education and were nominated for the Excellence in Education Award from the Portland Public Schools Foundation. Their work was described as "…going far beyond the day-to-day demands of teaching to create an exceptional educational environment for our city’s children." They were recognized at the 5th Annual Northwest Examiner’s Community Awards Celebration for outstanding contributions to the community. Mike Johnson of The Examiner wrote, "These teachers created a unique and highly effective team- teaching approach, bringing multiple grades together to immerse students in enriched history-based experiences."
Susan Anderson
Susan developed a keen interest in early childhood education many years ago, resulting in her study of Montessori teaching techniques. After her early childhood education studies in St.Louis, she studied in Ireland, where she received a certificate in Montessori Method Instruction. Susan taught for many years in Montessori schools, while continuing her studies in elementary education. She has a rich background in early childhood development, and extensive graduate units beyond her B.A. in education. Before persuading Marion Grassley to join her, Susan taught public preschool, Kindergarten, first and third grades, infusing these single-grade classrooms with Montessori practices. Convincing her principal at the time of the value of multi-age classrooms, she began teaching a blended third-fourth classroom at Chapman.
Marion Grassley
Marion began her university studies with an early love of history, romance languages, and social work. After practicing for six years at Los Angeles County General Hospital in pediatrics with Spanish-speaking families (M.S.W./SS), Marion knew she wanted to become a teacher. She returned to school, receiving a M.A. Ed. in curriculum development and instruction. In addition to team teaching in the third, fourth, fifth blended program at Chapman, Marion taught for years in high school, middle school, and elementary classrooms, before combining her fifth-graders with Susan’s third-fourth blend. Marion’s background in curriculum development proved to be of great value to the team, in designing appropriate subject content for the multi-age units of study.
Both Susan and Marion continue post-graduate studies, always seeking to improve themselves professionally as educators. Although they no longer teach full-time at Odyssey, they are both still actively involved with our program, regularly lend their time and expertise to our classrooms and enrichment activities, continue to develop curriculum, and provide teacher training to our current Odyssey teachers through Lewis and Clark University.
Welcome to Odyssey, a Living History Education for Young Explorers! Our school is a Focus Option Program of Portland Public Schools. But Odyssey is different from any other school. In fact, we are the only one of our kind in the nation.
What is a Focus Option?
The Odyssey Program is one of several "Focus Option" programs in the Portland Public Schools system. "Focus Option" means that the school is structured around a unique curriculum or particular theme. Another way of saying this is that the core academic curriculum is taught through a particular "lens". Some focus options are structured around art; others around math or science. The Odyssey Program’s "lens" is History.
Why History?One of the founding premises of the Odyssey Program is that education is more effective when students know why they are learning something, and can make sense of things within a particular context. The study of History provides a natural and effective learning context. Exciting and hands-on, history themes provide a rich context for incorporating science, literature, math and the arts. Understanding History equips students to understand their world, and our increasingly complex, diverse and global community.
The Ten Essentials – The Heart of Our Program
Another distinguishing feature of The Odyssey Program is its "10 Essentials". At the core of our program are 10 Essential components that when combined, distinguish it from all others. Although an educational program could implement one or some of these components separately, we believe that only when combined do they compliment, enhance and reinforce each other, creating an optimum learning enviroment for every student. These 10 Essential characteristics are: we are a Team-Taught, Multi-Aged, Cooperative-Learning, Community School; our program curriculum is Individualized, Open-Ended, and Enriched; and our program curriculum is Integrated, Interactive, and Theme-based. To learn more about each of these components and see how they work together and contribute to our unique program, please visit the "Ten Essentials" page.
Our Mission
The Odyssey Program mission is:
- To enable all students to achieve their fullest educational and personal potential through:
- An integrated, thematic curriculum
- In a multi-age, cooperative learning community
- That inspires students to think independently, critically and creatively
- And teaches them how to take responsibility for learning and community membership.
History and Background of the Odyssey Program
The Odyssey Program was founded in 1994 at Chapman School in NW Portland, by educators Marion Grassley and Susan Anderson. The founders recognized a need for educational innovation with a focus on a unique integrated, thematic and experiential approach. What began as a 345 program, expanded to K-8 when it moved to Hayhurst School in SW Portland in 2004.
Odyssey Founders
We would like to introduce the founding teachers of the Odyssey Program - Susan Anderson and Marion Grassley; both have been recognized over the years for their creative work in education and were nominated for the Excellence in Education Award from the Portland Public Schools Foundation. Their work was described as "…going far beyond the day-to-day demands of teaching to create an exceptional educational environment for our city’s children." They were recognized at the 5th Annual Northwest Examiner’s Community Awards Celebration for outstanding contributions to the community. Mike Johnson of The Examiner wrote, "These teachers created a unique and highly effective team- teaching approach, bringing multiple grades together to immerse students in enriched history-based experiences."
Susan Anderson
Susan developed a keen interest in early childhood education many years ago, resulting in her study of Montessori teaching techniques. After her early childhood education studies in St.Louis, she studied in Ireland, where she received a certificate in Montessori Method Instruction. Susan taught for many years in Montessori schools, while continuing her studies in elementary education. She has a rich background in early childhood development, and extensive graduate units beyond her B.A. in education. Before persuading Marion Grassley to join her, Susan taught public preschool, Kindergarten, first and third grades, infusing these single-grade classrooms with Montessori practices. Convincing her principal at the time of the value of multi-age classrooms, she began teaching a blended third-fourth classroom at Chapman.
Marion Grassley
Marion began her university studies with an early love of history, romance languages, and social work. After practicing for six years at Los Angeles County General Hospital in pediatrics with Spanish-speaking families (M.S.W./SS), Marion knew she wanted to become a teacher. She returned to school, receiving a M.A. Ed. in curriculum development and instruction. In addition to team teaching in the third, fourth, fifth blended program at Chapman, Marion taught for years in high school, middle school, and elementary classrooms, before combining her fifth-graders with Susan’s third-fourth blend. Marion’s background in curriculum development proved to be of great value to the team, in designing appropriate subject content for the multi-age units of study.
Both Susan and Marion continue post-graduate studies, always seeking to improve themselves professionally as educators. Although they no longer teach full-time at Odyssey, they are both still actively involved with our program, regularly lend their time and expertise to our classrooms and enrichment activities, continue to develop curriculum, and provide teacher training to our current Odyssey teachers through Lewis and Clark University.